Display apparatus and display method

Abstract

To provide a display apparatus that can display, without restricting the field of view, a three-dimensional image at a high resolution with a high degree of reproducibility in depth. A display apparatus according to the present technology includes a group-of-viewpoints generation system that includes a plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses corresponding to each of two eyes of a user, the group-of-viewpoints generation system generating a group of viewpoints for the eye using a group of light rays emitted from each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses. The present technology makes it possible to provide a display apparatus that can display, without restricting the field of view, a three-dimensional image at a high resolution with a high degree of reproducibility in depth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display apparatus, comprising
 a group-of-viewpoints generation system that includes a plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses corresponding to each of two eyes of a user, the group-of-viewpoints generation system generating a group of viewpoints for the eye using a group of light rays emitted from each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses,   wherein the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses includes at least one pair of first and second three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses in which a direction in which the group of light rays is emitted from the first three-dimensional image displaying apparatus and a direction in which the group of light rays is emitted from the second three-dimensional image displaying apparatus intersect, and   wherein the group-of-viewpoints generation system includes an optical system that guides the group of light rays coming from each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses,   wherein the optical system includes a first optical element that aligns a traveling direction of a first group of light rays and a traveling direction of a second group of light rays, the first group of light rays being the group of light rays coming from the first three-dimensional image displaying apparatus, the second group of light rays being the group of light rays coming from the second three-dimensional image displaying apparatus,   wherein the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses includes a plurality of the pairs of the first and second three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses,   wherein the first optical element is provided for each of the plurality of the pairs,   wherein a traveling direction of a pair of groups of light rays and a traveling direction of another pair of groups of light rays intersect, the pair of groups of light rays including the first and second groups of light rays coming from one of the first optical elements provided for the plurality of the pairs, the other pair of groups of light rays including the first and second groups of light rays coming from another of the first optical elements provided for the plurality of the pairs, and   wherein the optical system further includes a second optical element that aligns the traveling direction of the pair of groups of light rays and the traveling direction of the other pair of groups of light rays.   
     
     
         2 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the groups of viewpoints of a plurality of the groups of viewpoints do not overlap.   
     
     
         3 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least two of a plurality of viewpoints included in a plurality of the groups of viewpoints are generated on the eye.   
     
     
         4 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least a viewpoint included in one of a plurality of the groups of viewpoints is generated between two adjacent viewpoints included in another of the plurality of the groups of viewpoints.   
     
     
         5 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a line-of-sight detection system that detects a line of sight of the user, wherein   on a basis of a result of the detection performed by the line-of-sight detection system, the group-of-viewpoints generation system controls a position at which the group of viewpoints is generated.   
     
     
         6 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the display apparatus is a head-mounted display apparatus.   
     
     
         7 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses includes at least one pair of first and second three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses in which a direction in which the group of light rays is emitted from the first three-dimensional image displaying apparatus and a direction in which the group of light rays is emitted from the second three-dimensional image displaying apparatus intersect, and   the group-of-viewpoints generation system includes an optical system that guides the group of light rays coming from each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses.   
     
     
         8 . The display apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the optical system includes a first optical element that aligns a traveling direction of a first group of light rays and a traveling direction of a second group of light rays, the first group of light rays being the group of light rays coming from the first three-dimensional image displaying apparatus, the second group of light rays being the group of light rays coming from the second three-dimensional image displaying apparatus.   
     
     
         9 . The display apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the optical system further includes at least one of a first relay optical system or a second relay optical system, the first relay optical system being arranged between the first three-dimensional image displaying apparatus and the first optical element to generate an intermediate image of the first group of light rays, the second relay optical system being arranged between the second three-dimensional image displaying apparatus and the first optical element to generate an intermediate image of the second group of light rays.   
     
     
         10 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses includes an elemental image displaying apparatus and a microlens array.   
     
     
         11 . The display apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses further includes an aperture array that is situated between the elemental image displaying apparatus and the microlens array.   
     
     
         12 . The display apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the elemental image displaying apparatus included in each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses includes a display.   
     
     
         13 . The display apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the displays of a plurality of the displays are arranged in a layered formation.   
     
     
         14 . The display apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses share the microlens array.   
     
     
         15 . The display apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the group-of-viewpoints generation system includes an ocular optical element on which groups of light rays coming from the respective displays of a plurality of the displays are incident.   
     
     
         16 . The display apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 at least one of a plurality of the displays includes a self-luminous display element.   
     
     
         17 . The display apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the display element includes a light-emitting diode (LED) or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED).   
     
     
         18 . The display apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 at least one of a plurality of the displays includes a light source and a spatial modulator.   
     
     
         19 . The display apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the plurality of the displays includes a first display including a reflective spatial modulator and a second display including a transmissive spatial modulator,   a direction in which a group of light rays is emitted from the reflective spatial modulator and a direction in which a group of light rays is emitted from the transmissive spatial modulator intersect, and   the optical system includes an optical element that aligns a traveling direction of the group of light rays coming from the reflective spatial modulator with a traveling direction of the group of light rays coming from the transmissive spatial modulator.   
     
     
         20 . The display apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the spatial modulator is a liquid crystal element.   
     
     
         21 . The display apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the spatial modulator is transmissive.   
     
     
         22 . The display apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the spatial modulator is reflective.   
     
     
         23 . The display apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the spatial modulator is a ferroelectric liquid crystal on silicon (FLCOS).   
     
     
         24 . The display apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the spatial modulator is Digital Mirror Device (DMD).   
     
     
         25 . A display apparatus, comprising
 a group-of-viewpoints generation system that includes a plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses corresponding to each of two eyes of a user, the group-of-viewpoints generation system generating a group of viewpoints for the eye using a group of light rays emitted from each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses,   wherein the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses includes at least one pair of first and second three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses in which a direction in which the group of light rays is emitted from the first three-dimensional image displaying apparatus and a direction in which the group of light rays is emitted from the second three-dimensional image displaying apparatus intersect, and   wherein the group-of-viewpoints generation system includes an optical system that guides the group of light rays coming from each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses,   wherein the optical system includes a first optical element that aligns a traveling direction of a first group of light rays and a traveling direction of a second group of light rays, the first group of light rays being the group of light rays coming from the first three-dimensional image displaying apparatus, the second group of light rays being the group of light rays coming from the second three-dimensional image displaying apparatus,   wherein the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses further includes a third three-dimensional image displaying apparatus,   wherein a traveling direction of a pair of groups of light rays and a traveling direction of a third group of light rays intersect, the pair of groups of light rays including the first and second groups of light rays coming from the first optical element, the third group of light displaying apparatus, and   wherein the optical system further includes a second optical element that aligns the traveling direction of the pair of groups of light rays and the traveling direction of the third group of light rays.   
     
     
         26 . The display apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein
 at least one of the first and second optical elements is a beam splitter.   
     
     
         27 . The display apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses includes a plurality of the pairs of the first and second three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses,   the first optical element is provided for each of the plurality of the pairs,   a traveling direction of a pair of groups of light rays and a traveling direction of another pair of groups of light rays intersect, the pair of groups of light rays including the first and second groups of light rays coming from one of the first optical elements provided for the plurality of the pairs, the other pair of groups of light rays including the first and second groups of light rays coming from another of the first optical elements provided for the plurality of the pairs, and   the optical system further includes a second optical element that aligns the traveling direction of the pair of groups of light rays and the traveling direction of the other pair of groups of light rays.   
     
     
         28 . The display apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein
 at least one of the first and second optical elements is a beam splitter.   
     
     
         29 . The display apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the optical system further includes an ocular optical element on which the pair of groups of light rays and the other pair of groups of light rays are incident, the pair of groups of light rays and other pair of groups of light rays coming from the second optical element.   
     
     
         30 . The display apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the second optical element is a freeform prism that also serves as an ocular optical element.   
     
     
         31 . The display apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the optical system further includes at least one of a first relay optical system or a second relay optical system, the first relay optical system being arranged between the one of the first optical elements and the second optical element to generate an intermediate image of the first and second groups of light rays coming from the one of the first optical elements, the second relay optical system being arranged between the other of the first optical elements and the second optical element to generate an intermediate image of the first and second groups of light rays coming from the other of the first optical elements.   
     
     
         32 . A display apparatus, comprising
 a group-of-viewpoints generation system that includes a plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses corresponding to each of two eyes of a user, the group-of-viewpoints generation system generating a group of viewpoints for the eye using a group of light rays emitted from each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses,   wherein the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses includes at least one pair of first and second three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses in which a direction in which the group of light rays is emitted from the first three-dimensional image displaying apparatus and a direction in which the group of light rays is emitted from the second three-dimensional image displaying apparatus intersect, and   wherein the group-of-viewpoints generation system includes an optical system that guides the group of light rays coming from each of the plurality of three-dimensional image displaying apparatuses,   wherein the optical system includes a first optical element that aligns a traveling direction of a first group of light rays and a traveling direction of a second group of light rays, the first group of light rays being the group of light rays coming from the first three-dimensional image displaying apparatus, the second group of light rays being the group of light rays coming from the second three-dimensional image displaying apparatus; and   a two-dimensional image displaying apparatus corresponding to the eye of the user,   wherein a traveling direction of a group of light rays emitted from the two-dimensional image displaying apparatus and a traveling direction of a pair of groups of light rays intersect, the pair of groups of light rays including the first and second groups of light rays coming from the first optical element, and   wherein the optical system further includes a second optical element that aligns the traveling direction of the group of light rays and the traveling direction of the pair of groups of light rays.   
     
     
         33 . The display apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein
 the optical system further includes a relay optical system that is arranged between the first and second optical elements to generate an intermediate image of the first and second groups of light rays coming from the first optical element.   
     
     
         34 . The display apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein
 the second optical element is a freeform prism that also serves as an ocular optical element.